Can tapping and content dispensing device



Dec. 13, 1938.

Filed July 23,1957 2 sheets sheet l Dec. 13, .1938.

(JG/BUTLER CAN T APPING AND CONTENT DISPENSING DEVICE Filed July 23, 1957 2 sh eets sneet 2 wait? 1 INVENTOR .&

w ATTORNEY-5 Patented Dec. 13, 1938 PATENT I @FFICE 2,140,257 CAN TAPP'ING AND CONTENT DISPENSING nsvrcr:

Clyde G. Butler, Madeira, Ohio, minor to The Cincinnati Ball Crank Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July as, 1937, Serial No. 155,285

11 Claim.

This invention relates to the art of opening and discharging the contents of a sealed can. The invention is particularly directed to a device for this purpose which is designed to forcibly eject the contents of the can under pressure.

There are a number of lubricants on the market today which are'qulte viscous and which accordingly will pour very slowly and which are very difiicult to remove from the can. Even taking a fair amount of time toward the end of pouring the contents from the can, it is impossible to remove all of the contents by pouring, considerable residye sticking to the sides of the can. This retained portion should go to the customer but obviously does not and the customer is accordingly given less than he pays for. Much of the lubricant sold today, is delivered to the retailer in sealed containers of various sizes.

The'invention is highly useful in dispensing Hypoid oil. This type of oil is semi-viscous and must be delivered from the containers to mechanisms which are diflicult to reach and to which the oil cannot be poured.

It has been the object of the present inventor to provide a device or attachment for use in the above described art which eliminates the disadvantages above described. To this end it has been the object to provide a device which incorporates a can puncturing means associated with a pump for the purpose of enabling the operator to tap the can and thereafter inject air under pressure over the top of the contents-of the can for forcing the contents from the can and completely discharging all of the contents, leaving virtually no residue.

It has been the further objective to provide a dispenser which can be quickly attached to a container of oil and will thereafter be effective for forcing the contents of the container to points of use to which the oil could not be delivered by gravity.

It has been the further objective to provide a device of this character which has certain other advantages such as, convenience of operation, the ability to relieve the air pressure for stopping the ejection when desired, an outlet arrangement which automatically adjusts itself for extension 7 to the bottom of the can, and means whereby the device is quickly secured on the can and may be placed on a flat surface and thereafter will stand in upright position so that the contents of the can will not be spilled.

In the accomplishment of these objectives, a

iii

structure has been developed which incorporates a trigger associated with a pistol grip. A can puncturing tube arrangement has been associated with the pump and is adapted to pass through a wall of the can for extension to the opposite wall. Upon the tapping of the can and the proper positioning thereof on the device, a holding means is effective for securing the can against easy displacement from the device.

Other objects and further advantages will be more fully apparent from a description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the can tapping and content dispensing device of this invention showing it in position on the can.

Figure 2 is a View taken similar to Figure 1,- certain parts of the view being broken away for illustrating the pressure creating means in the handle.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view looking toward the can tapping means of the device.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken similar to Figure 2 but fragmentary thereof illustrating the pressure creating means in position after having just delivered a quantity of air to the interior of the can being tapped.

Generally speaking, the device of this invention incorporates a cutter adapted to penetrate an end wall of the can. This cutter is of extensible tube form and reaches to the bottom of the can. An instrumentality is included for delivering'air under pressure over the contents of the can for driving or expelling the same through the tube and the nozzle of the apparatus.

The arrangement provides a pair of telescop- :lng tubes adapted to be inserted in the can through an end wall, the tubes forming, as a unit, the intake means for the device. Associated with this tube is a sealing means for affixing the device on the can. A pistol grip is provided with a trigger arrangement operatively connected to a piston effective for driving the air taken from the atmosphere through a passageway in the body of the device to the region over the contents of the can. The intake tube arrangement leads to a discharge nozzle which is formed for convenient access to the point of supply. A release valve is incorporated in the air supply line, this valve enabling the operator to release the air in the can and thereby discontinue the ejection at any time.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the body of the device is indicated at I I]. A handle or pistol grip I l projects angularly downwardly from the handle portion. The handle is of hollow structure and provides a cylinder I2 opening to 'gagement with the wall of the cylinder.

its rear side. located at the juncture of the handle portion with the body portion. Its inner end is closedexcept for a discharge port I! leading ultimately a to the top of the can. A piston i4 is provided in the cylinder and includes a piston rodl6.

rigidly fixed thereto and projecting through a gland l6 axially of the cylinder.

The piston proper consists of three elements, namely, superimposed plates l'|l|, and a cupshaped gasket I0. One of the plates is annularly grooved to receive the inner margin ill of the cup-shaped gasket I! which is in sealing en- The cup-shaped gasket is of conventional form, accordlngly being eflective for admitting air on the back stroke and cupping the air within the cylinder on the forward stroke for delivering it through the outlet port I3. The piston rod incorporates a screw-threaded, counter-turned portion providing a shoulder 20 and including a nut 2|. The parts 'of the piston are gripped between the shoulder and the nut.

The packing gland It consists of a flanged metal sleeve 22, the flange of which lies against the bottom of the cylinder and a leather sealing sleeve 23 also flanged. The flange of the sealing element is contained within an annular groove in the sleeve 22 and is held against the bottom of the cylinder. The underside plate element ll of the piston is cupped for centering the outer end of a coil spring 24 under compression between the piston and the packing gland assembly. The spring tapers inwardly and has its inner end resting upon the flange of the packing gland sleeve element 22.

This coil spring is efl'ective for returning the piston to the outer end of the cylinder after the delivery stroke thereof. The piston is actuated in its delivery stroke by means of a trigger or pivoted lever 25 fulcrumed on a pivot pin 26 traversing the side walls 21-21, of the handle or grip portion H of the device. The trigger or lever is of Ushape in cross section providing an inner curved gripping surface.

To define the gripping surface, and render it comfortable, a portion of the rear cross wall of the lever is stamped out and curved so as to fit comfortably against the index finger as the operator grasps the lever.

For the connection to the piston rod, the upper end of the lever is slotted longitudinally of the curved portion thereof as at 28. The adjacent endof the piston rod is notched out so as to provide headed end 29, the diameter of the reduced portion being slightly less than the width of the slot so that the handle can he slipped into position in back of the head very easily in the assembly operation.

The air delivery passageway 13 continues through a bore 30 drilled coaxiaily of the discharge port and thence through a bore 3| drilled transversely and intersecting the first mentioned bore. The first mentioned bore includes a plu 32 threaded into its outer end maintaining a coil spring 33 under compression against a ball valve 34 seated against a seat afforded by the shoulder between the bore and the passageway. This valve unseats to the delivery of air under pressure to the interior of the can being tapped.

The cross passageway 3| extends to the forward side of the body and is counterbored at the back of the body to provide a valve chamber 35. In this valve chamber, a valve carrying element 36 is screwed into the counterbore and includes This cylinder may be said to be a head 31 resting against the external surface of the body." p

The valve 38 is in the form of a plug providing a tapered seating portion resting against the inner endof the valve carrier or support andheld there by a coil spring 39 under compression between the shoulder afforded-by the counterbore and a shoulder 40 afforded-by counter turning the head in the valve. Astem 4i projects from the valve'through a clearance bore of the element 36 and protrudes a short distance externally of the valve support; This stem has a rounded outer end- 42 and is conveniently engaged by the operator's thumb or finger for depressing the valve and thereby releasing accumulated air pressure in the delivery passageway beyond the valve and over the contents of the can.

The forward end of the cross bore 3| or continuation of the delivery passageway enters into a bore 43 which projects upwardly from the underside of the body. A tube 43a is inserted in this bore and secured therein by pressed-fitting or any other means. This tube is of considerable length so as to extend well into the can which is being tapped and has its lower end cut on the bias so as to provide a sharp point 44 and is further. sharpened to provide a'cutting edge 45 having a slicing action after the perforation is made. Within this tube 43a, another tube 46 is inserted which has the dual function of leadin the air to the region over the top of the contents of the can and serving as an anchorage for the upper ends of a spring 41, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter.

The outer surface of the inner'tube is annularly grooved as at 48, from the region just below its top edge, to the region below a packing or sealing ring 49 surrounding the outer tube lying against the bottomof the body and adapted to engage and seal the top of the can around the cut opening as in Figure 1.

A port 50 is provided in the outer tube connecting the cross passageway 3| within the body, to the upper end of the chamber afforded by the annular groove H3. The lower end of the annular chamber is connected to the exterior of the outer tube by another port 5|. An extension tube 52 is telescopically engaged into the lower end of the opener tube 43, providing an extension which readily adjusts itself to provide the necessary length for the intake tube for extension to the bottom of the can being tapped. This extension is urged downwardly to a certain extent and is supported thereafter by means of the coil spring 51 normally relaxed. The coil spring has its terminals secured respectively within the lower end of the upper inner tube 46 and the upper end of the lower, or extension tube 52. The extension tube slides up into the opener tube in the tappig operation so as to clear the cutting end of the tube.

A guide strip 53 is secured to an extension 54 depending from the body just to the rear of the tube assembly and slightly spaced therefrom. This strip extends below the knife edge and forms the gauge directing the operator in placing the knife edge against the top of the. can.

A claw or hook device 55 is fulcrumed between a pair of ears 56 projecting rearwardly from the lower end of the strip 53vand carrying the fulcrum or pivot pin 51. The claw or hook is of U-shape in cross section providing side walls traversed by the pivot pin 51, a back wall 58 and feet 59 extending laterally from each side wall thereof. at

the lower edges thereof. The side walls are 75.

notched along the top edge 01 the forward projections thereof to provide hooks 60. which engage around the lip or seam GI 01 the can.

A spring 62 is wound around the pivot pin and has its terminals lying against the strip and against the back wall 58 of the claw element 55 respectively, thus urging the claw element into operative or hooking relationship to the circular lip at the end of the can.

From the upper end of the bore 42 in which the tubes are socketed, a discharge passageway 63 continues angularly forwardly and in the bore, forming this continuation, a nozzle 64 is secured. This nozzle 64 includes a coupling element 65 at its inner end providing the necessary nut integrally therewith for screwing the nozzle into position. The outer end of the nozzle is curved to facilitate introduction thereof into inaccessible places. The feet 5959, on the claw element in combination with the pistol grip portion, enable the operator to set the device on a flat surface where it will remain with the can in upright position.

In applying the device to a can containing the heavy lubricant or other substance to be dispen'sed, the operator places the upper end of the can laterally against the strip 53 and slides it upwardly on the strip causing the knife edge oi the tube to puncture the top. The can is then slid upwardly on the tube until the top contacts the packing ring, as seen in Figure 1, the extensible or depressible tube is then in contact with the bottom of the can. The claw or hook thereupon drops over the lower lip of the can having been raised in the first phase 01. the operation. The can thus secured into position, the operator pumps a quantity of air over the top of the substance to be discharged by depressing the trigger a number of times. This immediately starts flow of the substance through the nozzle to the point of delivery.

It will be noted that the latching means yields to allow the can to move away from the seal in the event that a dangerous pressure is developed in the can, that is, a pressure that will tend to burst the can. In the event that the operator wishes to discontinue the flow of oil, he .can quickly release the air by depressing the release valve at the back of the device.

The lower end of the extension tube is suitably notched as at 61 so as to permit the entrance of the contents into the can even though the tube is disposed against the bottom.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A can tapping and contents dispensing device comprising, a body including a tube projecting therefrom, said tube having its end cut on the bias, a tube telescopially engaged into said first named tube and projecting therefrom for forming an extension, means on said body for delivering air under pressure through said first named tube, said body and tube including a passageway extending to the upper region of the can in which the tube is inserted, and a. nozzle for receiving and directing the contents of the can from said tube.

2. In a device of the class described, a pump, a cutting tube insertable into a can, said pump carrying said tube and including a passageway in communication with the exterior of the tube toward its attached end but not with its interior, said cutting tube extending to the lower region of the can, valve means for releasing the air in said passageway and means for attaching said tube and pump to the can and sealing. the same.

3. In a device of the class described, a body including a handle, a pump in said body, a cutting tube insertable into a can, said body carrying said tube and including -a passageway in communication with the exterior of the tube toward its attached end but not with itsinterior, said cutting tube extending to the lower region of the can, sealing means disposed aboutthe tube and adapted to seal the can about the opening through which the tube is inserted,'an attaching means for securing the device to the can, said attaching means extending from the body independently of the tube and effective for holding the sealing means in sealing position.

4.-'A can tapping and content dispensing device, comprising, 'a body having a pistol type grip, including a trigger, an air pump operated by said trigger, a tube attached to said body, a tube telescopedin said first named tube and having a sharp end adapted to penetrate a can, a nozzle in communication with said first named tube, and said body including a passageway extending from the pump into the upper end of the can whereby operation of the pump drives the contents of the can through the tube and nozzle.

5. In a device of the class described, abody having a handle, an air pressure creating unit, a can opener means extended from said body, said can opener means including a can puncturing and content delivery tube projectible to the lower region of the can, means for delivering the air to the regionover the contents of the can, a clamping means engaging the top and bottom of the can for securing the device to the can, and a discharge nozzle extending from the can opener means.

6. A can tapping and dispensing device comprising, a body including a pistol grip portion including a trigger, a pump operated by the trigger, means for attaching the body to a'can, a perforating tube carried by the body and forming the outlet passageway extending from the interior of the can when the body'is mounted on the can, a pump operable by. the trigger and including a passageway directing air into the can and said body including a nozzle for directing the contents of the can from the tube to a point of use.

7. A can tapping and content dispensing device, comprising, a body having a can puncturing tube extending therefrom. a gasket associated with the tube adapted to engage around the opening formed in the can, a latching means for securing the body in position on the can with the tube extending into the can, means for delivering air under pressure through the body into the can, said latching means yieldable for permitting the can to move away from the sealing means in the event that excessive pressure is developed. within the can.

8. A device of the class described, comprising, a body having a can opening tube extended therefrom, a latching extension extended from the body and closely associated with the tube. said latching means adapted to engage around the edge of the can opposite to the side which is punctured, said can opening tube adapted to be disposed close to the side of the can, means on the-tube for extending the same to the bottom of the can, a handle for said body, and a pump associated with said handle for delivering air through the body over the contents of the can.

9. A device of the class described, a body, an outlet tube extended therefrom having its lower edge out on the bias and sharpened to form a can puncturing end, a telescoping tube disposed in said can opening tube, said telescoping tube adapted to extend to the bottom of the can when puncturing tube, said body including a passageway for delivering the air from the pump to the interior of the can by way or the interior of the tube wall and an opening externally thereof, a delivery nozzle extending from said can opener tube, and means for securing said device to the can.

11. A device 01' the class described, a body housing a pump, said body including a handle pro- Jecting downwardly therefrom, a trigger in said handle for operating the, pump, a can puncturing and content delivery tube projecting from the body. said tube spaced from said handle and pro- Jecting from the same side of the body as the handle, passageway means for delivering the air from the pump into the can when the tube is inserted, a nozzle in communication with the tube, and means for attaching the device to the can.

CLYDE G. BUTLER. 

